AUGUST REVIEW
A month that will live long in the memory. Our 23 winners included three Group 1 successes, two Listed winners, a host of valuable handicaps and over £2 million in domestic prize-money for the second month in succession.
Item’s brilliant win under Colin Keane in the Juddmonte International saw the son of Frankel gain his first win at the top level, three weeks on from his impressive success over course and distance in the York Stakes. His sole defeat to date came in testing ground in the Derby, but he has since earned himself the position as one of the top three-year-olds in Europe and hopefully he will have the opportunity to bolster that in the Irish Champion at Leopardstown in September.
It was an incredible week on the Knavesmire for everyone connected to Kingsclere and a second Group 1 success of the week followed the next day, with the wonderful Kalpana overcoming a tricky tactical affair to land her second Group 1 in as many months under Colin Keane, and the fourth of her glittering career. Both the Arc and Champions Day remain under consideration.
Blue Bolt had gained our first Group 1 win of the month, supplementing her fantastic win in the Falmouth with a very game defeat of the Irish 1,000 Guineas/Coronation Stakes winner Precise in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville, with Colin Keane again on board. Unbeaten in four starts this season, the daughter of Blue Point will now join Item in Ireland, where she will contest the Matron Stakes in a bid for her third Group 1 success of this brilliant season.
Prizeland was another to taste black-type success at York, producing a big career-best to win the Galtres Stakes with plenty in hand under Oisin Murphy. That was a first win at Listed level for the three-year-old, who had finished runner-up in similar events, either side of a fifth in the Italian Oaks. She continues to improve and it will be exciting to see if she can hold her own stepped up to Group company.
At the beginning of the month, the relentlessly progressive Simplify had gained her breakthrough win at Listed level in the Queensferry Stakes at Chester, with Oisin Murphy on board. Her sole blip this season came at Royal Ascot and she is one to look forward to next season.
Our Ebor meeting was completed with a trio of big handicap successes, the first of which came from The Lost King, who had the look of one that can perform at a higher level in due course when a comfortable winner of the 1m Heritage Handicap under Oisin Murphy. The son of Kingman is the first foal of the beautifully-bred King Power.
Machadadorp bounced back to winning ways with an impressive success in the 7f fillies’ handicap, with Oisin Murphy again doing the steering. She had travelled strongly through the contest and is a filly on the up.
Plage De Havre completed our trio of handicap successes the following day, P J McDonald on board for the narrowest of wins in the 1m4f Heritage Handicap. The softer ground undoubtedly helped and the talented five-year-old could be set for a successful autumn when the rain comes.
Dance In The Storm had won at Chester in May and a return to the Roodee proved the catalyst for a second victory of the season under Oisin Murphy. That career-best effort was followed by a fine run in defeat at York and the daughter of Night Of Thunder looks capable of challenging for some black type in due course.
Ghost Mode made the perfect start to the month in a strong handicap at Glorious Goodwood in the hands of Rob Hornby. He was a little too keen on his return to the track at the end of the month, but retains the scope for further progress from his current rating.
Ruby Wedding made it two wins from her last three starts with a comfortable success in a competitive fillies’ handicap at Salisbury, with Alfie Redman on board. She has found plenty of improvement in recent months and the valuable fillies’ handicap at the St Leger meeting will be next on her agenda.
Cape Fear has held his form well and gained reward for his consistency with a second win of the season, scoring by a wide margin at Windsor under Oisin Murphy. An 8lbs rise will make life tougher, but he has the ability to make his mark in a nice handicap in the weeks ahead.
It may have been a match race, but there was still plenty to like about Reformation’s debut victory at Salisbury, with Oisin Murphy on board, as the runner-up had the benefit of previous experience and had scored in similar company on her previous start. The son of No Nay Never is a promising sort for the autumn and beyond.
Stormy Music won nicely on her second start in handicap company at Newmarket under Alfie Redman, and she made a bold bid to follow up at the same course nine days later, just not quite getting the run of things – hopefully compensation awaits. Allegrino was another to win a fillies’ handicap on the July course, Callum Hutchinson doing the steering. It was a third win of the campaign for the filly and she continues to progress.
Itica showed improved form on his turf debut to land a valuable selling contest at Goodwood with Oisin Murphy on board. The half-brother to Elm Park is going the right way and should continue to progress when switched to handicaps, as should Floating Market, who made it third time lucky with a novice success at Lingfield Park in the hands of Isobelle Chalmers.
JUVENILE SUCCESS
There were six wins from our team of two-year-olds, headed by wide-margin Salisbury novice winner Forbidden Fire, who defied her inexperience to score in style under Oisin Murphy. The half-sister to See The Fire and Venetian Prince looks a very exciting filly in her own right and a step up in grade awaits.
Pure Grit had finished runner-up on his first two outings, so it was very pleasing to see him go one better at Chester, making all under Oisin Murphy to win comfortably. A well-bred individual with plenty of scope, he is a bright prospect.
Zarakova had gone close on her second start at Epsom and she duly went one better at Newmarket, Oisin Murphy on board for a narrow win on the daughter of Zarak. Her opening mark looks realistic and there should be plenty more to come. That is also the case for Nakila Sun, who was yet another to shed his maiden tag on his third start and following a narrow defeat on his previous outing. He made all for a facile victory at Windsor, a first winner in Britain for his Arc-winning sire Torquator Tasso.
Avionics got off the mark at the fourth attempt with a battling success at Chepstow under Tom Marquand. The handicapper raised him to a mark of 85 for that win, but he is a useful sort and can make his mark in nursery company this autumn. One that has already tasted success at handicap level is Naval Cop, who made a winning nursery debut at Chepstow under a good ride from Alfie Redman. The 5lbs rise looks fair and she should be adding to that win this autumn.